An electric cargo bike is a significant investment. Fortunately, you don't always have to pay for it entirely out of your own pocket. Many employers offer a bicycle plan, allowing you to buy or lease a cargo bike with tax benefits. But how does that work exactly, how much does it save, and does it also apply to a cargo bike costing over 5,000 euros? We explain it step by step.
Good to know in advance: we are bicycle specialists, not tax advisors. The rules below are those for 2026. What is specifically possible for you depends on your employer's scheme. Always check the details with your HR or payroll department.
What is a bicycle plan?
A bicycle plan is a scheme from your employer that allows you to purchase a bike with tax benefits. The idea is simple. You don't pay for the bike from your net salary, but (partially) from your gross salary. You don't pay income tax on that amount. This makes the bike cheaper for you than if you were to buy it in the shop yourself.
There used to be one fixed national scheme with strict conditions, such as a maximum of one bike every three years. That scheme no longer exists since the introduction of the work-related expenses scheme (WKR). Nowadays, your employer decides for themselves whether to offer a bicycle plan and under what conditions.
There are roughly two forms:
- Buying through your employer. You exchange part of your gross salary for the bike. The bike is yours immediately.
- Leasing through your employer. You ride a 'company bike' for a fixed monthly amount, usually including maintenance and insurance.
Both are possible for an electric cargo bike. Which one is smartest depends mainly on the budget your employer makes available.
Buying through the bicycle plan: how it works
In the purchase variant, your employer purchases the bike and you pay it back through your gross salary. This is also known as salary exchange. This often happens with your year-end bonus, holiday pay, or part of your monthly salary.
Your employer places this within the so-called discretionary margin of the work-related expenses scheme (WKR). Within this margin, an employer can provide tax-free allowances and gifts. In 2026, this is 2 percent of the first 400,000 euros of the total wage bill, and 1.18 percent on the portion above that. If an employer exceeds this margin, they pay 80 percent tax on the excess.
That's why most employers work with a maximum amount. For many bicycle plans, this is around 1,000 to 1,500 euros. That's enough for a city bike. For an electric cargo bike, you cover part of the price with this, and you pay the rest yourself.
How much do you save?
Your benefit is the tax you don't pay on the amount that goes through your gross salary. This depends on your income. Providers like FiscFree speak of a benefit of up to 40 percent on the amount covered by the bicycle plan.
Calculation example (indicative): you choose an Urban Arrow FamilyNext Essential for €4,950. Your employer makes a bicycle plan budget of €1,500 available. If you fall into the tax bracket of approximately 37.5 percent, that saves you around €560. You pay the remaining €3,450 yourself. So, you pay approximately €4,390 net instead of €4,950.
If your employer has a higher budget, your benefit will also be greater. So always ask first what the maximum is at your employer.
The National Bicycle Plan
Many employers arrange their bicycle plan through a platform. A well-known one is the National Bicycle Plan (Nationale Fietsplan), which now falls under FiscFree. Your employer signs up, you choose a bike at a participating bike shop, and the payment goes through the platform and your payroll department. You don't have to submit or advance any invoices yourself. Bakfiets Centrum works with the National Bicycle Plan, so you can pick out your cargo bike with us.
Leasing through your employer: the company bike
If the purchase budget is too low for a cargo bike, leasing through your employer is often the better route. Your employer leases the cargo bike and makes it available to you. You usually pay a fixed monthly amount for this through your gross salary. Maintenance, repairs, and insurance are often included. A lease contract typically runs for three years.
Because you also use the bike privately, the Tax Authorities add a taxable benefit to your salary: 7 percent of the recommended retail price per year. If you pay a personal contribution yourself, it is deducted from this taxable benefit. Your employer may also place the taxable benefit within the discretionary margin, so you don't notice it at all.
Calculation example (indicative): for a cargo bike with a retail price of €5,000, the taxable benefit is €350 per year. At a tax rate of approximately 37.5 percent, you pay about €130 per year in extra tax, which is about €11 per month. On top of that comes the lease installment itself, if your employer doesn't pay it in full.
At Bakfiets Centrum, you lease through Lease a Bike. You choose your cargo bike with us, your employer arranges the contract, and we handle the maintenance. You can read how that works on our page leasing a bike in The Hague.
Buying or leasing through your employer: the comparison
| Point | Buying via bicycle plan | Leasing via employer |
| Ownership | Directly yours | Owned by the leasing company, often available for purchase afterwards |
| Tax benefit | No income tax on the bicycle plan budget | Fixed amount via gross salary, with 7% taxable benefit on the retail price |
| Suitable for a cargo bike | Partially, the budget usually covers part of the price | Yes, even for more expensive models |
| Maintenance and insurance | Arrange it yourself | Often included |
| Term | One-time | Usually 36 months |
| What if you change jobs? | Bike remains yours | Agreements in the contract determine what happens |
What should you look out for?
A bicycle plan sounds like free money, and to some extent, it is. However, there are a few points to check beforehand.
- Does your employer participate? It's not possible without a scheme from your employer. Ask HR. Not every employer knows that a cargo bike is also allowed, so ask specifically about it.
- What is the maximum amount? That determines whether buying or leasing is most advantageous for you.
- What happens if you leave the company? With leasing, the contract states whether you have to return the bike, take it over, or pay off the remainder. Read that carefully beforehand.
- Consequences of salary exchange. If you exchange part of your gross salary, it can affect things based on your gross salary, such as your pension accrual. The effect is often small, but ask HR about it.
- Insurance. When buying, you arrange this yourself. It's best to insure an electric cargo bike from day one. Read more in insuring an electric cargo bike.
- Mileage allowance. If you ride a company bike, your employer may no longer give you a tax-free mileage allowance for those trips. If you have your own bike, that is allowed, up to €0.25 per kilometer in 2026.
How to arrange your cargo bike through the bicycle plan, step by step
- Ask your employer about the scheme. Which platform, what budget, buying or leasing?
- Choose your cargo bike. Come by the Prinsegracht and take a test ride. If you're unsure between models, read the differences between the Urban Arrow Family, FamilyNext, and FamilyNext² first.
- Request a quote. We will create a quote for the cargo bike and any accessories, such as a rain cover or an extra bench.
- Submit the application. Through your employer's platform, or through Lease a Bike if you are leasing.
- Your employer approves. The payment goes through your payroll department.
- Pick up or have it delivered. We'll get the bike ready, adjust it for you, and explain how everything works.
Eerst voelen welke bakfiets bij je past?
Plan een proefrit aan de Prinsegracht. Dan weet je welk model je aanvraagt voordat je met je werkgever om tafel gaat.
Are you an entrepreneur or freelancer?
Then you don't have an employer with a bicycle plan, but you do have other options. You can buy the cargo bike for business use and take advantage of the investment allowance, or lease it for business. We explain that in business leasing an electric cargo bike in The Hague and subsidies and tax benefits for entrepreneurs.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy an electric cargo bike through the bicycle plan?
Yes, if your employer offers a bicycle plan. A cargo bike is a bicycle, so it falls under the same rules. Do note your employer's maximum budget: when buying, it often only covers part of the price. Leasing through your employer is then often more advantageous.
How much do you save with a bicycle plan?
You save the income tax on the amount that goes through your gross salary. Depending on your income, that's up to about 40 percent of that amount. How much it is in euros depends on the budget your employer makes available.
What is the taxable benefit for a company cargo bike?
For a company bike that you also use privately, the Tax Authorities add 7 percent of the retail price per year to your salary. For a cargo bike of €5,000, that's €350 per year. You pay income tax on that amount.
Does Bakfiets Centrum work with the National Bicycle Plan?
Yes. You can choose your electric cargo bike with us through the National Bicycle Plan. If you lease through your employer, it goes through Lease a Bike. Come by or contact us, and we'll help you with the quote.
Can I use a bicycle plan as a freelancer?
No, a bicycle plan is an employer's scheme. As a freelancer, you can buy or lease the cargo bike for business, with tax benefits such as the investment allowance. Read more about that in our articles for entrepreneurs.
Getting started with your bicycle plan
A bicycle plan can make your electric cargo bike hundreds of euros cheaper. Start with your employer, and then come by to pick out your cargo bike. Schedule a test ride without obligation at the Prinsegracht, or see how leasing through your employer works. If you have questions about your scheme or which model fits, contact us. We're happy to help you think it through. Want to read more? Check our knowledge base.
